Kicking Mormon Hornet Nests
Today I got an email from Orson Scott Card , science fiction author whose work Ender's Game I loved. I challenged him on being Mormon just as I did Glenn Beck , talk show host. Both gave me the same response of some gibberish about historical context and how I was being belligerent. Maybe I could be considered belligerent, but shouldn't you be about where you are spending eternity?
A few years ago I had some wonderful neighbors move in who were Mormon. Not knowing anything about Mormons I thought they were Christian.
I started doing some research into their beliefs. Apparently Joseph Smith had two angels appear before him to show him the fallacy of Catholic and Protestant belief systems and how they had the "true" way. Those angels provided some kind of gold tablets to Joseph. Joseph professed to believe in the Bible as God's word and stated that his prophecies and teachings do not contradict what is in the Bible.
To support this, here are some quotes from Mormons:
Brigham Young: "Take up the Bible, compare the religion of the Latter-day Saints with it, and see if it will stand the test." Journal of Discourses, Volume 16, p. 46, 1873
Joseph Fielding Smith: "Mormonism, as it is called, must stand or fall on the story of Joseph Smith. He was either a prophet of God, divinely called, properly appointed and commissioned, or he was one of the biggest frauds this world has ever seen. There is no middle ground." Doctrines of Salvation, Page 188.
Ok, the Mormon theologians have issued the challenge and I have a response. The biggest problem that flies in the face of what they believe is what Paul wrote in Galatians 6-9:
6I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel;
7which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.
8But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!
9As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!
I don't think the Bible can get any clearer than that text. How can anyone logically base an entire belief system on an event that contradicts the writings of its supposed core text?
Other questions I have:
God is a corporeal being from another planet who impregnated Mary to give birth to Jesus. Literal translation would be: Space Alien has sex with Mary...? Was she a Virgin as it says in Matthew 1:23,1:25; Luke 1:27? Joseph has a thing about space people and says here: "the moon's inhabitants were of uniform height (about 6 ft. tall), dressed like Quakers and lived nearly 1,000 years" (Journal of Oliver B. Huntington, Vol. 3, p. 166 of typed copy at Utah State Historical Society and The Young Woman's Journal, pub. by the Young Ladies' Mutual Improvement Associations of Zion, 1892, Vol. 3, pp. 263,264.)
The core beliefs are subject to the "prophet's interpretation" at any time. The Prophet is the current head of the LDS church. So today's prophet can re-write the belief system on a whim. For instance, Brigham Young claimed that these who leave the Mormon Church would turn "wrinkled" and "black." The following curse was pronounced by Brigham Young: ". . .but let them apostatize, and they will become gray-haired, wrinkled, and black, just like the Devil." (Journal of Discourses, vol. 5, p. 332) To directly contracdict it's own "prophet" it was 1977 when the LDS church decided that being black wasn't the Mark of Cain.
There are many other inconsistencies and ridiculous assertions. Even devout Mormons have not been able to find locations to support the purported miracles by the founders given during their exodus. It comes down to doing what feels good. Then the icing on the cake:
Brigham Young said that the "Christian God is the Mormon's Devil..." (Journal of Discourses, Volume 5, page 331).
Mormonism teaches there is no salvation outside the Mormon Church and no salvation without accepting Joseph Smith. Apostle Bruce R. McConkie makes this statement: "If it had not been for Joseph Smith and the restoration, there would be no salvation. There is no salvation outside The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints." (Mormon Doctrine, p.670) A direct contradiction to Acts 4:12:
12"And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved."
Clearly the Mormon religion is not of Jesus Christ, regardless of what the current crop of followers is being told. I was extremely surprised to learn of this. I can't hear the letters BYU without thinking of the abomination that university and mormons represent. It is safe to classify Mormons with Muslims in their lack of understanding of their own core texts and false belief of who God truly is.
I just hope Glenn, Orson, and my neighbors catch on before it is too late.
I also borrowed, plagiarized or stole a great deal of ideas from this most excellent site:whatismormonism
A few years ago I had some wonderful neighbors move in who were Mormon. Not knowing anything about Mormons I thought they were Christian.
I started doing some research into their beliefs. Apparently Joseph Smith had two angels appear before him to show him the fallacy of Catholic and Protestant belief systems and how they had the "true" way. Those angels provided some kind of gold tablets to Joseph. Joseph professed to believe in the Bible as God's word and stated that his prophecies and teachings do not contradict what is in the Bible.
To support this, here are some quotes from Mormons:
Brigham Young: "Take up the Bible, compare the religion of the Latter-day Saints with it, and see if it will stand the test." Journal of Discourses, Volume 16, p. 46, 1873
Joseph Fielding Smith: "Mormonism, as it is called, must stand or fall on the story of Joseph Smith. He was either a prophet of God, divinely called, properly appointed and commissioned, or he was one of the biggest frauds this world has ever seen. There is no middle ground." Doctrines of Salvation, Page 188.
Ok, the Mormon theologians have issued the challenge and I have a response. The biggest problem that flies in the face of what they believe is what Paul wrote in Galatians 6-9:
6I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel;
7which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.
8But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!
9As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!
I don't think the Bible can get any clearer than that text. How can anyone logically base an entire belief system on an event that contradicts the writings of its supposed core text?
Other questions I have:
God is a corporeal being from another planet who impregnated Mary to give birth to Jesus. Literal translation would be: Space Alien has sex with Mary...? Was she a Virgin as it says in Matthew 1:23,1:25; Luke 1:27? Joseph has a thing about space people and says here: "the moon's inhabitants were of uniform height (about 6 ft. tall), dressed like Quakers and lived nearly 1,000 years" (Journal of Oliver B. Huntington, Vol. 3, p. 166 of typed copy at Utah State Historical Society and The Young Woman's Journal, pub. by the Young Ladies' Mutual Improvement Associations of Zion, 1892, Vol. 3, pp. 263,264.)
The core beliefs are subject to the "prophet's interpretation" at any time. The Prophet is the current head of the LDS church. So today's prophet can re-write the belief system on a whim. For instance, Brigham Young claimed that these who leave the Mormon Church would turn "wrinkled" and "black." The following curse was pronounced by Brigham Young: ". . .but let them apostatize, and they will become gray-haired, wrinkled, and black, just like the Devil." (Journal of Discourses, vol. 5, p. 332) To directly contracdict it's own "prophet" it was 1977 when the LDS church decided that being black wasn't the Mark of Cain.
There are many other inconsistencies and ridiculous assertions. Even devout Mormons have not been able to find locations to support the purported miracles by the founders given during their exodus. It comes down to doing what feels good. Then the icing on the cake:
Brigham Young said that the "Christian God is the Mormon's Devil..." (Journal of Discourses, Volume 5, page 331).
Mormonism teaches there is no salvation outside the Mormon Church and no salvation without accepting Joseph Smith. Apostle Bruce R. McConkie makes this statement: "If it had not been for Joseph Smith and the restoration, there would be no salvation. There is no salvation outside The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints." (Mormon Doctrine, p.670) A direct contradiction to Acts 4:12:
12"And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved."
Clearly the Mormon religion is not of Jesus Christ, regardless of what the current crop of followers is being told. I was extremely surprised to learn of this. I can't hear the letters BYU without thinking of the abomination that university and mormons represent. It is safe to classify Mormons with Muslims in their lack of understanding of their own core texts and false belief of who God truly is.
I just hope Glenn, Orson, and my neighbors catch on before it is too late.
I also borrowed, plagiarized or stole a great deal of ideas from this most excellent site:
posted by Possum at 09:10
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